Device for driving trains of containers through pipeline

ABSTRACT

A device for driving a train of containers through a pipeline in which a housing rests through trunnions on wheel trucks which support disks taking the pressure of the gas flow passing through the pipeline. The housing has an elastic sealing means closing the gap between the internal surface of the pipeline and the external surface of the housing.

Unite States aent n 1 Alexandr-0v et a1.

[ DEVECE FOR DRIVKNG TRAINS 0F CONTAINERS THROUGH PHPELKNE [76]Inventors: Adolf Moritsovich Alexandrov,

Federatinvy prospekt, 6, korpus 3, kv. 8, Moscow; Ruben DzhangirovichBalaian, Ljubertsy, Volkovskaya ulitsa, 9, kv. 31, Moskovskaya Oblast;llppolit Davidovich Suladze, Prospekt Chavchavadze, 11, kv. 41, Tbilisi;Vladimir Eiimovich Aglitsky, Zatsepsky val, 6/13, kv. 61, Moscow;Avtandil Semenovich Kakhniashvili, ulitsa Eliava, 37, kv.

41, Tbilisi; lllia Solomonovich Kantor, Malo-Moskovskaya ulitsa, 31. kv.45, Moscow; Vazlha Venediktovich Dzhanelidze, prospekt Plekhanova, 140,Tbilisi; Alexandr Alexandrovich Lachinov, Zhivopismaya ulitsa, 12, kv.19, Moscow, all of USSR.

[22] Filed: Mar. 9, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 122,478

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data U.S.S.R 1411851 Mar. 18, 1971 1Jan. 22, 1974 [52] US. Cl. 243/33, 243/39 [51] Int. Cl. 865g 51/04, B65g51/06 [58] Field of Search 243/32, 33, 39

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 595,890 12/1897 Pike 243/38590,181 9/1897 Batcheller 243/39 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS1,246,584 8/1967 Germany 243/32 1,198,739 8/1965 Germany 243/33 1,5325/1867 Great Britain 243/32 Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk AssistantExaminerW. Scott Carson I 57 ABSTRACT A device for driving a train ofcontainers through a pipeline in which a housing rests through trunnionson wheel trucks which support disks taking the pressure of the gas flowpassing through the pipeline. The housing has an elastic sealing meansclosing the gap between the internal surface of the pipeline and theexternal surface of the housing.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJANZZIBH 3,787, 0

--llll" DEVIQE FOR DRIVING TRAINS OF CONTAINERS THROUGH PIPELINEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to devices forthe pneumatic conveying of a load through a pipeline. More particularly,the invention relates to devices for driving a train of containersthrough a pipeline.

PRIOR ART Known in the art are devices for driving containers through apipeline under the effect of gas pressure. These devices have acylindrical housing bearing on wheel trucks via trunnions. On the wheeltrucks there are mounted disks so that the disks substantially close thecross section of the pipeline and have an outer diameter somewhat lessthan the inner diameter of the pipeline. The disks take the pressure ofa gas flow introduced into the pipeline from a source of compressed gasand transmit the traction forces to the load containers connected withthe device.

Due to the fact that in these prior devices there is a gap between thedisks and the internal surface of the pipeline, considerable energylosses occur due to entry of a portion of the gas flow through the gap,particularly when the load is conveyed along an ascending portion of thetrack thereby resulting in a decrease in the speed of movement of thedevice and the associated load containers along the pipeline.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device for drivingthe containers having minimum energy losses during the movement of thedevice with the load containers through a pipeline under the action ofgas pressure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This object is attained by providing a devicefor driving a train of containers through a pipeline under the action ofgas pressure comprising a cylindrical housing resting through trunnionson wheel trucks. To take the pressure of the gas flow passing throughthe pipeline, the wheel trucks are provided with disks closing the crosssection of the pipeline and having an outer diameter which is somewhatless than the inner diameter of the pipeline. According to theinvention, an elastic sealing means is mounted on the housing to closethe annular gap between the internal surface of the pipeline and theexternal surface of the housing, with such sealing consisting of atleast one annular holder on which there are mounted rings with filamentsof elastic threads secured therein, and elastic gaskets being locatedbetween the rings to provide for a sealing between the filaments of theadjacent rings.

The present device for driving containers through pipelines under theaction of gas pressure is simple in construction and expedient andreliable in operation.

The invention will be apparent from the following detailed descriptionof one embodiment of the invention, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a general view in elevationof the device for driving containers through a pipeline under the actionof gas pressure, according to the invention and;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The device 1 (FIG. I) for drivinga train of load containers (not shown) through a pipeline 2 is denatedgenerally l and has a cylindrical housing 3 which,

through trunnions 4 located on the opposite end walls 3a of the housing,bears on wheel trucks 5 provided with radially installed running wheels6.

Mounted on the wheel trucks 5 are disks 7 closing the cross section ofthe pipeline 2 to take the pressure of the gas fed from a gas source(not shown). The disks '7 have an outer diameter which is somewhat lessthan the inner diameter of the pipeline 2. This is a necessary conditionto enable the container driving device 1 to run along the pipeline 2loosely and without any wear of the disks 7 providing that the pipeline2 has permissible tolerances in the value of the inner diameter thereof.

Installed on the housing 3 adjacent to and inwardly of end walls 3a isan elastic sealing means 8 for closing the gap between the externalsurface of the housing 3 and the internal surface of the pipeline L Thesealing means 8 consists of several annular holders 9 spaced axially ofand (FIG. 2) rigidly secured on the housing 3.

Each annular holder includes a ring l0 of soft material, for example ofaluminium, and in each ring 10 in a radial direction are securedfilaments ll of strong elastic threads, for example capron threads,defining a seal between the filaments of the adjacent rings 10. Elasticgaskets 12 are located between the rings 10 to provide a seal betweenthe filaments of adjacent rings.

The device for driving a train of containers through a pipeline underthe action of gas pressure operates as follows:

The device 1 is connected to a train of pivotally interconnected loadcontainers (not shown), each having a cylindrical housing installed onwheel the pressure of the flow of compressed gas fed into the pipeline 2from a source of compressed gas is taken by the disks 7 and the tractionforce is transmitted to the containers and the train moves in aprescribed direction.

The elastic sealing means 8 consisting of the several holders 9 providesfor maximum reduction of the overflow of the compressed air due to thepresence of the gap between the disks 7 and the internal surface of thepipeline 2, so that the energy losses during the movement of the devicewith the load containers through the pipeline 2 are reduced to minimum.

We claim:

I. A device for driving a train of containers through a pipeline underthe action of gas pressure comprising in combination: a cylindricalhousing having end walls; a trunnion located on each of the end walls ofsaid housing: a wheel truck on which said cylindrical housing bearsthrough each of said trunnions: disks mounted on each of said wheeltrucks for closing the cross section of said pipeline to take thepressure of a gas flow passing through the pipeline, said disks havingan outer diameter less than the inner diameter of said pipeline; and anelastic sealing means arranged on said housing adjacent each end thereoffor closing the gap between the external diameter of said housing andinternal diameter of said pipeline, said sealing means ineluding atleast one annular holder secured on said housing, a plurality ofadjacent rings disposed on said holder, a plurality of filaments of wearresistant elastic threads secured on each ring and extending radiallytherefrom for engaging the internal diameter of the pipeline and elasticgaskets mounted on said holder between said rings providing a sealbetween said radially extending threads of the adjacent rings.

2. A device for driving a train of containers through a pipeline underthe action of gas pressure comprising in combination: a cylindricalhousing having end walls; a trunnion located on each end wall; a wheeltruck on which said cylindrical housing bears through each of saidtrunnions; disks mounted on each of said wheel trucks for closing thecross section of the pipe line to take the pressure of a gas flowpassing through the pipeline, said disks having an outer diameter lessthan the inner diameter of the pipeline; and an elastic sealing meansarranged on the housing for closing the gap between the externaldiameter of the housing and the internal diameter of the pipe line, saidsealing means including a plurality of axially spaced rows of radiallyextending wear resistant elastic filaments adjacent each end wall of thehousing for engaging the internal diameter of the pipe line; and elasticgaskets mounted on the housing between the adjacent axially spaced rowsof filaments providing a seal between the adjacent elastic filaments.

1. A device for driving a train of containers through a pipeline underthe action of gas pressure comprising in combination: a cylindricalhousing having end walls; a trunnion located on each of the end walls ofsaid housing: a wheel truck on which said cylindrical housing bearsthrough each of said trunnions: disks mounted on each of said wheeltrucks for closing the cross section of said pipeline to take thepressure of a gas flow passing through the pipeline, said disks havingan outer diameter less than the inner diameter of said pipeline; and anelastic sealing means arranged on said housing adjacent each end thereoffor closing the gap between the external diameter of said housing andinternal diameter of said pipeline, said sealing means including atleast one annular holder secured on said housing, a plurality ofadjacent rings disposed on said holder, a plurality of filaments of wearresistant elastic threads secured on each ring and extEnding radiallytherefrom for engaging the internal diameter of the pipeline and elasticgaskets mounted on said holder between said rings providing a sealbetween said radially extending threads of the adjacent rings.
 2. Adevice for driving a train of containers through a pipeline under theaction of gas pressure comprising in combination: a cylindrical housinghaving end walls; a trunnion located on each end wall; a wheel truck onwhich said cylindrical housing bears through each of said trunnions;disks mounted on each of said wheel trucks for closing the cross sectionof the pipe line to take the pressure of a gas flow passing through thepipeline, said disks having an outer diameter less than the innerdiameter of the pipeline; and an elastic sealing means arranged on thehousing for closing the gap between the external diameter of the housingand the internal diameter of the pipe line, said sealing means includinga plurality of axially spaced rows of radially extending wear resistantelastic filaments adjacent each end wall of the housing for engaging theinternal diameter of the pipe line; and elastic gaskets mounted on thehousing between the adjacent axially spaced rows of filaments providinga seal between the adjacent elastic filaments.